Reserved cherry-blossom table at Gisul, an Ansan bar near Ansan

The place I visited this time is 'Gisul,' a bar in Jungang-dong, Ansan.

There are so many izakayas in Ansan, but I visited this one with a friend because it's popular for its great atmosphere and, above all, its huge variety of side dishes.

Getting there from Exit 1 of Ansan Jungang Station

This is izakaya Gisul. From Exit 1 of Ansan Jungang Station, pass the Korea Tourism Education Institute, turn right, then go straight! It's in the 3rd corner building, right next to the parking entrance of the Norang Tongdak building.

{ Address } 76 Gojan1-gil, 115-ho, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

How about parking?

{ Parking } Free for 3 hours in the basement lot (public parking support not available)

One quick tip!!! Join the 'Nangmandan' (romance club) open chat room for people who want to find this place easily, get a Nangmandan sticker, attach it, and visit for a free first draft beer event — worth checking out.

The cherry blossom tree at the center — what's the vibe like?

Walking into this bar in Jungang-dong, Ansan, I found a huge, beautiful cherry blossom tree standing right at the center of the restaurant. Even before 6 pm, half the tables were already occupied, and the rest were reserved seats marked with name tags.

We took a seat right under the cherry blossom tree in this Jungang-dong bar, and blossoms were visible on all sides — the atmosphere was gorgeous and so pretty. It really seems like a great spot for both office dinners and dates.

Supplies by the sink

There was a little nook tucked in beside the counter, and inside was a sink — on the wall were hair ties, cotton swabs, band-aids, wet wipes, and even mouthwash, thoughtful beauty items ready to use whenever needed.

The name tag message and rose at the reserved seat

At the table we'd reserved, there was a name tag message!

A 'good-feeling' (gi) bar (sul) — just like the shop's name, we'll do our best to make sure you have a happy, good time.

That's what it said, along with a single rose. Even though I'd made the reservation myself, it felt like being invited somewhere special, and it made me so happy.

Gisul's menu lineup

< Menu >

• (Signature) Gisul Hansang set
• (Weekday only!) Mungtigi (raw beef cut)
• Fragrant basil steamed pasta
• Salmon sashimi
• Chicken nanban
• Red / white jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup)
• Handmade chili shrimp
• Ansan's original cream cheese dish
• Salted pollock roe and potato gratin
• Sea urchin cold pasta
• Spicy stir-fried squid with a smoky kick
• Shrimp tempura topped with eggplant
• Grilled salt-seasoned Patagonian toothfish, and more

An izakaya wouldn't be complete without drinks! Highballs, draft beer, whiskey, soju, bokbunja (black raspberry wine), and more.

The three side dishes we ordered

[ Order ] Basil steamed pasta ₩24,000 / Korean beef yukhoe ₩33,000 / Uiseong garlic yurinki ₩24,000

Korean beef yukhoe

The Korean beef yukhoe (raw beef) still has that fresh beef taste, and it's seasoned with Gisul's special sauce so the savoriness really comes through~ The soft-boiled egg made it even more mellow.

Uiseong garlic yurinki

Spicy-sharp Korean Uiseong garlic yurinki. Tangy sauce piled with chili peppers! Loaded with pungent garlic — dipping the crispy chicken into the sauce was so delicious.

Fragrant basil steamed pasta

The fragrant basil steamed pasta is Ansan's original 'sulzzim' (liquor-steamed) pasta! Fresh basil meets extra virgin olive oil for a pasta gently filled with basil aroma.

As we kept eating, the chicken nanban, yukhoe, and pasta all came out in generous portions — perfect for drinking.

How's the draft beer?

Gisul, this bar in Jungang-dong, Ansan, has a certified draft beer quality management master on staff and is recognized as a store that practices draft beer cleanliness. The beer's probably great too ^^